HOLY — AN ASCENT UNTO THE THRONE OF GLORY
O God—
I did not ascend of my own strength.
Thou didst gather me.
Thou didst draw me upward
as breath is drawn back to the mouth that gave it.
שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל
Hear me, O God.
Be Thou glorified.
יִתְגַּדַּל שִׁמְךָ
Let Thy Name be magnified.
The First Heaven — Created to Declare Thy Glory
O LORD,
the firmament yet held me,
and the air bore weight as Thou hast ordained.
The clouds moved in obedience,
and the fowls of the heaven crossed Thy command
unaware they proclaimed Thy wisdom.
This heaven Thou didst create
that the earth might not be silent—
that Thy glory should be spoken
without tongue or pen.
הַשָּׁמַיִם מְסַפְּרִים כְּבוֹד־אֵל
My flesh remained whole.
My heart was taught to look upward.
Blessed be Thy Name.
בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹדוֹ
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה
עוֹשֵׂה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ
The Second Heaven — Created to Divide and Restrain
Then Thou didst speak division, O God,
and the word yet stood.
Waters above, restrained by decree;
waters beneath, held in mercy.
This place Thou didst appoint
that chaos should not overtake Thy kindness,
and judgment should not outrun compassion.
בְּדָבָר יְהוָה נִצְּבוּ הַמַּיִם
Pressure entered my breast.
My thoughts were quieted.
My will bowed low.
No voice sang—
yet obedience itself praised Thee.
Glory be to Thee, Most High.
עֶלְיוֹן
אֵל עֶלְיוֹן
אֵל עֶלְיוֹן
קוֹנֵה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ
The Third Heaven — Created for Holiness Revealed
O God—
I was caught up.
Not by merit.
Not by striving.
By Thy will alone.
Sound preceded sight.
Not clamor—
purity.
Seraphim burned with living fire,
faces covered, feet veiled,
voices loosed in terror and delight.
קָדוֹשׁ
QĀ—
קָדוֹשׁ
QĀ—DŌSH—
קָדוֹשׁ
QĀ—DŌ—Ō—ŌSH
My body failed beneath excess glory,
for Thou art too full for flesh to bear.
I fell, O LORD—
not in dread,
but overcome by Thy beauty.
This heaven Thou hast made
that holiness might be known
and creation restored without corruption.
קְדוֹשִׁים בְּרִנָּה
Oh God—
be Thou exalted.
רוּם וְנִשָּׂא
קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ
יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת
מְלֹא כָל־הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ
The Fourth Heaven — Created to Remember
Silence followed fire.
Here, O LORD, were witnesses—
keepers of remembrance,
not judges, not redeemers.
This place Thou hast ordained
that no deed be lost,
no tear forgotten,
no truth erased.
אַתָּה זוֹכֵר כָּל־דָּבָר
Weight returned to my soul.
I remembered that Thou seest all things.
Blessed art Thou,
Righteous Judge.
שֹׁפֵט צֶדֶק
זֹכֵר חֶסֶד
זֹכֵר בְּרִית
זֹכֵר לְעוֹלָם
The Fifth Heaven — Created for Unceasing Praise
Then praise rose—
not as answer,
but as order.
This realm Thou hast fashioned
that worship might uphold creation
as pillars uphold a temple.
תְּהִלָּה תָּמִיד
Voices neither wearied nor slept.
Time dared not interrupt them.
I could not sing, O God—
I was borne upon their song.
To Thee be everlasting praise.
לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד
הַלְלוּיָהּ
הַלְלוּיָהּ
כִּי טוֹב יְהוָה
The Sixth Heaven — Created for Authority and Justice
Strength stood before me—
meek, unyielding, holy.
This heaven Thou hast established
that justice might proceed without corruption
and wickedness be restrained.
גְּבוּרָה וּמִשְׁפָּט
All selfhood thinned.
Only obedience endured.
Thou alone art mighty, O LORD.
אֵל גִּבּוֹר
יְהוָה גִּבּוֹר מִלְחָמָה
יְהוָה גִּבּוֹר מִלְחָמָה
The Seventh Heaven — Created for Vastness Without End
Here was expanse beyond numbering.
This place Thou hast created
to contain immensity
without fracture or decay.
אֵין קֵץ לְגָדְלֶךָ
Time loosened its hold.
Sequence bowed before Thee.
My soul rested
without sleep.
Great art Thou, O God.
גָּדוֹל יְהוָה מְאֹד
אֵין עוֹד מִלְּבַדּוֹ
אֵין עוֹד מִלְּבַדּוֹ
The Eighth Heaven — Created to Preserve Life Before Glory
Nearness pressed without form.
Light knew no boundary.
This realm exists by Thy wisdom,
for no living thing may behold
unveiled glory and endure.
כִּי לֹא־יִרְאַנִי הָאָדָם וָחָי
Fear perished here.
Pride could not breathe.
Only awe remained.
יִרְאַת קֹדֶשׁ
Holy art Thou.
קָדוֹשׁ אַתָּה
יְהוָה קָרוֹב
לְכָל־קֹרְאָיו
בֶּאֱמֶת
The Ninth Heaven — Created for Mercy and Judgment
Fire stood in order.
Motion lived within motion.
Eyes beheld all things
without cruelty.
This heaven Thou hast prepared
that mercy and judgment
might proceed together.
חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת נִפְגָּשׁוּ
Approach required surrender.
Just and true are Thy ways.
צַדִּיק וֶאֱמֶת
Before The Thrown
שִׁירוּ לַיהוָה
כָּל־הָאָרֶץ
כָּל־הַשָּׁמַיִם
The Tenth Heaven — The Throne — Because Thou Willed to Be Known
Then—
the Throne.
O God—
language fell away.
Light did not shine—
it knew me.
Sound did not echo—
it ruled and healed.
I could not stand.
I could not speak.
Holy—
Holy—
Holy—
יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת
Thy Name filled height and depth.
Heaven answered.
Earth answered.
All that hath breath bowed low.
I fell before Thee—
undone,
known,
kept.
To Thee alone be glory.
כָּבוֹד לְךָ לְבַדֶּךָ
Not unto us, O LORD.
Not unto vision.
Not unto voice.
But unto Thy Name,
for Thou alone art Holy.
קָדוֹשׁ
קָדוֹשׁ
קָדוֹשׁ
Written by Marguerite Grace
Copyright Protected
verse, possies, sonnets, and short stories 